Arizona?

Coach Potter

Coach Potter

Life of the Party
Anybody have experience fishing AZ? My son and his fiancée just had a monkey wrench thrown into their plans and they will now be moving to AZ instead of coming back home this fall. Ther has to be some kind of fly fishing in AZ....any ideas? Thanks in advance :)
 
My only AZ experience is with channel cats and bass in Lake Roosevelt about 25 years ago.

Spin gear and live crawfish. Tie on a baithook, no weights or other crap on the line, cast, let sink, and retrieve just fast enough to keep the crawdad out of the rocks.

I remember wishing I'd bought a 7wt with an intermediate line and crawfish imitations. Cats ranged from 2 to 6lbs, bass 1 to 4.
 
Not as much as the nw, but as others suggest up on the rim and oak creek canyon are the main spots. Lots of canal carp around phoenix.
 
Thanks fellas! He was more than disappointed when he got the news. His fishing/hunting life has been split between MT and N. Idaho. I’m trying to help him see the silver lining.
 
intoflyfishing.com

Fly Fishing Arizona: An Angler's Guide - Into Fly Fishing

Expert Angler's Guide To Fly Fishing Arizona including secret spots, the best gear to bring, what flies to use, the best seasons for each species and more.
intoflyfishing.com intoflyfishing.com

drifthook.com

Top 14 Places to Fly Fish in Arizona - And What Flies to Use

Arizona is a state rich in fly fishing opportunities. There is a perfect spot for every angler with its many rivers, creeks, and lakes. Arizona's climate is also ideal for fly fishing, with warm weather throughout much of the year, but the summer heat can be a bit much. Some of the best...
drifthook.com drifthook.com
 
Theres some decent fishing there. Depends on the time of year and your location. San Juan River in New Mexico. Probably some good spots around Flagstaff. Mogollon Rim is across the Northern part of the state has higher elevations and cooler wetter conditions. Probably some good lakes there. Down below Hoover Dam near Las Vegas.
 
No knowledge of this group but they offer guided trips, which is a good way to learn about opportunities: https://flyfisharizona.com/

I was in graduate school at the University of Arizona with Craig Martin’s wife. I thought he wrote a book about Arizona fly fishing but can’t find it. He did write books about northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. I was focused on school so didn’t fish there, but would stop and fish Silver Creek and Sun Valley on my way back and forth. I believe there are opportunities in AZ and NM, you just have to research and find them.


Fly Fishing in Northern New Mexico: Revised Edition - Ask About Fly Fishing

www.askaboutflyfishing.com www.askaboutflyfishing.com


Hope this helps a little.
 
I visit this fly shop when I'm in Phoenix. Here's their fishing report page:

pheasanttailflyfishing.com

Fishing Report

We are Arizona's premier fly shop. We stock the best gear in fly fishing and can outfit anglers for any adventure in Arizona or around the world. Stop in today!
pheasanttailflyfishing.com

The canal carp are a fun fishery.
 
O' Clarkii Lewisi said:
Three of my favorites:
White Mountain Apache Reservation
Colorado River at Lee's Ferry
Lake Powell Stripers in the summer/fall.
Click to expand...

How do you fish for stripers at powell? Can you strip streamers from the shore or targeted from a boat? I've never really fished them still water but always off the beach.
 
I find it just as miserable if not worse than your current stomping grounds. I am counting on one of ours being just as unfortunate when the time comes and have started to plan accordingly. Congrats to you and your son on the many adventures ahead!
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fatbillybob said:
How do you fish for stripers at powell? Can you strip streamers from the shore or targeted from a boat? I've never really fished them still water but always off the beach.
Click to expand...
The best fly-fishing for stripers is done in the late summer and early fall when the are aggressively feeding on shad in boils. It's surface action hunting and fishing. You pretty much need a boat to chase the boils around. Nothing fancy, I bet it would be very doable on even a paddle board. When they aren't herding shad they can be caught with a sinking line off of favorable structure. A fish finder is helpful, but you can also use a bait rig to let you know when they are in the neighborhood.
 
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